| Address | 5515 Colorado Ave., Washington, DC 20011 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (202) 545-8280 |
Hmmm, maybe it was because it was a Saturday night and only two servers were working but I didn't feel the love. I'm not sure our waitress wanted to be there - it definitely took her a long time to get us drinks and food (no bread was offered until we asked, then it came cold).
In the end, we ate nice, creative meals, although my Lobster Monte Cristo "small plate" was tiny. The pork chop my friend has was excellent and the "ham and cheese" one chocolate sauce? was fantastic. As a vegetarian, I have to take their word for it. I had very few options, thus settling for the Lobster (no pain receptors) because my only other option was a bunch of sides - not even a side sampler - at full price.
Service was a bit cranky, they tell you where to sit and do not let you chose any other table. And if you come with less then 3 in your party you may end up in a 2 seater near the bathroom even if the place is empty and no one is sitting at the 4 seaters by the windows. That night, all these pairs came in and we ended up being crunched together near the bathroom in the almost empty dining room, listening to each other's conversations. The food was quite salty, and the small dishes were intersting but small and expensive. My date was unimpressed. He was the one who declared it not worth the money or the trip.
Brunch here is a little overrated outside of the homemade doughnuts which really are THAT good. The cheese grits were something too, very hearty and rich Except for one special the rest of the brunch menu was pretty standard diner fare (eggs, hash browns, meat, carbs) which seemed a little on the pricey side. For comfort food at a better value, I would check out some of the more established diners in Silver Spring (Tastee, Woodside) where the biscuits are just as good. Our party arrived 15 minutes before opening, but still had a few minutes wait because we were more than 4 people. Service was slow because the line outside filled up the whole restaurant at once.
Worth the trip for the doughnuts alone! Grits were delicious as well. We arrived ten minutes before they opened for brunch and got in line so we didnt have to wait for a table.
Tasty brunch in cute surroundings. And how many places serve homemade doughnuts?
My boyfriend and I had Sunday brunch at CK in February. There was no wait shortly after 11 am. I had the shrimp and grits and he had the cornmeal pancakes. The shrimp and grits though a tad expensive, $12 or so, were amazing. flavorful, light, filling. The pancakes weren't brilliant - very run of the mill. The service was quite good and the donuts were great too. I asked for a lunch and dinner menu and very much want to return for a burger or something else yummy and savory off the menu. Job well done!
My husband and I visited Colorado Kitchen for the first time during the Saturday night rush. It was a full house, and the servers were a little crazy. Service was pretty spotty all night -- the waiter took the time to help us choose our entrees, but we had to place a credit card on the table to get our bill.
Colorado Kitchen serves upscale comfort food. It was all delicious and extremely well prepared except for one thing: it was almost all over-seasoned. My carrot-sage soup, which was velvety and rich, tasted exclusively of sage. My husband's Waldorf salad was made with a curried mayonnaise dressing that overpowered the salad. He also had meatloaf with a tomato paprika sauce over noodles. The meatloaf (two big slices) was a very lean beef-pork mixture, and the noodles were homemade, but too much paprika in the sauce.
I opted for two "little" dishes instead of one entree. The onion-rosemary creme brulee was heavenly (not overseasoned either); I would order it again in a heartbeat. But the lobster roll, while it had plenty of yummy lobster, was oversalted and served on a soggy bun. For dessert, we split a warm chocolate tart. It was very chocolaty and run in the middle -- so incredibly good!
In conclusion, we'll definitely go back, but during non-peak serving time to see if we'll get better service and maybe a lighter hand on the seasoning.
Colorado Kitchen is as delicious as it is out-of-the-way. Run by a former staffer at Cashion's, the menu is characterized by a pleasing aray of comfort foods both known and unknown. While the wait for a brunch table can seem interminably long (particularly if you are starved), the wait is certainly worth it. NOTE: if you show up late on a brunching day, you will find that they may have run out of bacon, donut holes (gasp!), and other specialties. This bespeaks to the quality and thus limited supply as much as anything else. The staff, while capable, is not overly attentive.
From the moment we opened the door, the service was warm, friendly, and attentive. I had the highly recommended hamburger, he had the subtle and succulunt crab cakes. We both really enjoyed the food. Those onion rings! To die for!!! Great desserts too; when was the last time you saw strawberry shortcake or pineapple upside down cake on a menu?
Thank you, Gillian Clark, for sticking to your guns and producing delicious, affordable, and delightful food. I signed up for the email list and I'm already looking forward to my next visit.
Gillian Clark serves the BEST hamburgers in the DC area. The meat is carefully seasoned, and always cooked perfectly to order. The accompanying onion rings (made from red onions) are also in a class of their own. There have been complaints about poor service at Colorado Kitchen, but I have only experienced friendliness and efficiency. The Waffle Sundae is a wonderful, homey dessert: your choice of ice-cream served atop a buttery homemade waffle, drizzled with warm chocolate sauce and peanuts. The prices here are very reasonable considering everything is made from scratch. Brunch is also amazing, but more crowded.
The doughnuts are amazing and nothing is cookie cutter here. I noticed that instead of Perrier there's Saratoga sparkling water. Instead of muffins, there are homemade doughnuts. Instead of bottles of Coke, there are smaller cola brands offered. I liked the retro ambience of the place and the fact that even after one visit, I can tell this place has reliable and always tasty food.
What a great neighborhood restaurant. Chef and co-owner Gillian Clark cooks up some very fine homestyle/southern/comfort food-- all with an upscale twist. Dinner starts with a sample of soup brought to you in a tiny cup, which you'll probably order after tasting. Homemade biscuits tide you over until more food arrives. Entrees are made with fresh, wholesome ingredients. Rather than having a separate "kids' menu," kids' sized portions are offered for about half of the regular entrees-- no frozen chicken fingers or other any of the other junk pawned off on kids at other restaurants.
Thursday and Sunday nights are "Burger Nights," when for a very reasonable price you get great burgers (beef or turkey) with delicious handcut onion rings.
Don't skip the desserts-- they're wonderful. My family especially likes the fresh baked cookies and icecream.
Service can be a little spotty here and the chef can be funny about any special requests, but the food is worth it!
Clearly there is TLC put in every dish. You can see the chef/owner personally making your dish. Also, one of the few places in D.C. one can get real sweet tea!
I have been to the Colorado Kitchen for brunch several times and though there is sometimes a wait the freshly made doughnuts and cheese grits are worth the wait. The sitting area is small so it is harder to accomodate larger groups but they manage. My personal favorites are the eggs benedict and cheese grits. My boyfriend always gets the fried fish.
This neighborhood spot never disappoints. We brought some newbies who were quite impressed as well. Chef Gillian Clark is more approachable, via the window aside her stove, than media reports would have suggested. Sadly, the adorable, Eloise-esque cartoons on the bathroom walls have been replaced by shellacked cookbook pages. Definitely tops my list.
This is a great place to go if you want "comfort" food with a fine dining quality. It's not fancy place. It reminds me of what a diner would be if we lived in Mayberry but it definitely has an urban flavor.
Looking for one of the best burgers in town? Look no further than the Colorado Kitchen.
Located in in a part of town bereft of other dining talent, CK delivers upscale food in a diner-like setting. Yes, Chef Gillian Clark is known to be a bit eccentric (don't ask to substitute side dishes), but she knows what she's doing in the kitchen. When you arrive, you are often treated to a thimble-full of the soup of the day -- it can be shrimp bisque or cream of mushroom or a simple vegetable -- a nice welcoming touch.
The menu is divided into two sections: Small Food and Big Food. Smalls range from napoleons, salads and even a full quail confit, while the Bigs are entrees that include steak, chicken, fish, etc. All good. I can also recommend CK's brunch - be sure to try the homemade donuts!
But the best thing may be what's NOT on the menu -- the aforementioned hamburger. Served only on Thursday and Sunday evenings and (I think) Friday lunch, the burger is cooked as you like (as long as you don't ask for anything beyond medium, I'm guessing -- I've never tried), resulting in a seared, crusty exterior holding together a juicy, flavorful, red-to-pink interior that tends to drip down your arm when you sink your teeth into it. Accompanying it are some of the best onion rings (very light, made with red onions) I've ever eaten.
So, ignore the negative reports you may have heard about Chef Clark's food ego. Ignore your concerns about an unfamiliar neighborhood. Be patient with the inconsistent service. And deal with the fact that the restaurant does not have a liquor license -- no beer, no wine, but a very eclectic selection of bottled soda pop (ever heard of Lenin-ade?).
Visit the Colorado Kitchen. You won't be disappointed.
Absolutely fantastic and worth the drive from wherever you are. In any other restaurant, you would pay at least 75 percent more for this yummy food. Very comfortable, neighborhoody & appealing, hometown sort of place. Awesome food. Great service. Really, go now.
